Anticipation...A Desert Run in February?

[mph]

For my family and I, winter is a great season! We live in the mountains of Park City, Utah. Winter provides feet of snow to enjoy in the resort or the backcountry of the Wasatch. February also provides a week of vacation for us...Ski Week as we call it.

The week prior to President's Day, I watched the weather and noticed that high pressure would be over the state. No snow...Bummer...But, warming temps in southern Utah. Could we make an escape? Would it be warm enough to hike? Warm enough to camp? With anticipation...I continued to monitor the weather. A desert trip in February? Sure enough...Anticipation became reality!

Lilly woke to a sunrise over Zion National Park. The warming rays of the sun made the morning a delight. Yep, in February!



All roads lead somewhere...This one? Well, let's find out!



Lilly was ready and we followed our maps to some rocks...Yeah, rocks in southern Utah is what it's all about!!!



sorry...can't figure out how to rotate the pics...





We found a nice place to camp and the Paria was running! Last time I was there...My wife and I were hiking up the Paria from Buckskin Gulch and the river was bone dry, but now it was flowing and all to ourselves!



May all your campsites be quite, picturesque, and remote. Ours was...



The following day we headed to Arizona and some more rocks.



Rocks were found and the beauty was hard to comprehend. (sorry, can't figure out to rotate the pictures)



Lilly on her way to exploring...



More to come...

 

[pmatusov]

White Pocket?

 

[roverrocks]

Good stuff!! Glad you take your daughter to these places. She will remember these trips maybe for the rest of her life.

 

[mph]

White Pocket?

THE VERMILLION CLIFFS ARE MAGICAL!!!

 

[v_man]

Very nice , just pop the photos into photobucket , you can rotate them , and re upload them if you wish ...

 

[SmoothLC]

Great places - we were down there a year or so ago and had a blast!

 

[mph]

Rocks...Rocks...Everywhere Rocks! A gorgeous landscape for Lilly and I to explore!





We wandered around for hours...Looking here and looking there...



We packed up the truck and headed for camp...The clouds rolled in but within an hour; it was pleasant and clear.



Lilly wanted to create a gift box for mommy...Mom was coming into Zion the next day to meet up with us. So, she found a comfortable place and began to paint!



The next morning was bright and sunny! Lilly and I enjoyed a hot shower...Thanks Helton Shower!!! Time to pack up...



So much to see but too little time...Had to head down the road.



We pulled over to see if the condors were flying...no luck!



We filled up the tires and headed to Zion to pick up mommy...Aired up and ready...



Nevada...Here we come!

 

[mph]

Before leaving the deserts of Utah, we explored Snow Canyon State Park. We had not been there before...We we found was a gorgeous landscape filled with colorful sandstone and lava tubes to explore!





Driving further south, we briefly entered into Arizona and then into Nevada. Our destination was Valley of Fire State Park. We were amazed on what we found. Crazy, colorful rock formations and rock art galore. A great place!



Lilly loved playing in the rocks!





Signs of the past were everywhere...We literally found over a 1000+ petroglyphs!





The campground was awesome! Yep, I said campground. The spots were tucked back into the rocks. Probably one of the coolest campgrounds we have ever been to!



The CCC built these traveler cabins back in the day for travelers through the area. I would have stayed there...Today, a nice picnic spot!



Our travels ended with every overlanders goal--Las Vegas--NOT! Nothing but the finest for the LC.



Final Installment...After Vegas...

 

[Skwerly]

So neat! Thanks for all the great pictures.

 

[Big50]

Looks alike an awesome trip!

 

[SmoothLC]

Looking forward to the remainder of this TR . . .

 

[p nut]

Excellent report. I'll have to head down there some time.

 

[mph]

The Last Installment...

We rolled out of Las Vegas 18 hours later! Thank God! Don't mean to offend anyone but just don't get that city whatsoever. As the saying goes...You have to try things once. No, you don't! Not Vegas anyways...

Our plan was to head north to Zion. A leisurely drive north. We passed an Earthroamer. Some day...not! The plan was to find a rock art panel I have been looking for...Treasure Hunt!

Only the tumbleweeds were going to stop us!



We followed a fence line for a few miles and crossed some ranch land. Like out of movie...We saw some cowboys in the distance. Oh boy...Were we on their land? They seemed friendly...I asked permission to be on their land...They replied, "No idea whose land it is...we are just out for a ride!"



After discussing where the panel is...and how to get there...I had a tough decision that every husband/father knows about. It was getting late in the day. I could forge ahead and risk getting my wife pissed and my daughter even more hungry than she already was...So, you guessed it. I did the honorable thing and saved the panel for another day. I know where it is at and I am sure a few more months won't hurt. It has been around for a few hundred years.

So, onward to Zion...The evening light showing us the way!



The following day, we awoke to clear, beautiful skies. The loose plan was to take a short hike so Lilly could try out her new metal detector and try to find one of the few rock art panels in the park.



Lilly looking for buried treasure!





Now we were on the mission to find a rock art treasure. I used some clues to find the goods. A great hike...A great panel...









The trip had come to an end. Time to head north. Until next time...

Cheers!

 

[stolenheron]

looks like alot of fun.